The Beginning - Concord, MA 1994

Detail of Pagemark puzzle cut by Pagey Elliott

Debby Greeley hosted the first Puzzle Parley on Saturday September 10, 1994 at her home in Concord, Massachusetts. Twenty-two puzzlers made the trek to this historic town, including 13 from New England, 6 from the NY-PA area, 2 Midwesterners, and Chuck Small, all the way from California. Organizer Bob Armstrong was absent, recovering in a Maine hospital from a 70-foot fall from a hiking trail. Bob's son Conrad substituted for him in helping Pagey Elliott chair the meeting.

The formal part of the meeting was a two-hour morning discussion of the ins and outs of cutting wooden puzzles. Jim Ayer talked about his innovative method of cutting with a computer controlled highly pressurized water jet. Anne Williams offered a brief analysis of which wooden jigsaws are most desirable to collectors. Anne also recorded the proceedings so Bob could view them later, thanks to a video camera on loan from Betty (aka Liz) Platais, Pagey's oldest daughter.
After the lunch that Debby served, the group continued to exchange ideas informally, while checking out the hand-cut puzzles that many had brought to display or sell. Quite a few puzzles changed hands before everyone departed later that afternoon.
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The video of the Parley's proceedings is now in the permanent collection of the Strong Museum Library in Rochester, NY.

Detail from Spilsbury puzzle